‘Kibri a kulturu’

‘Kibri a culturu’ or ‘preserve
the culture’. This theme is the soul of the work of the
Surinameseartist Marcel Pinas. The
cultural heritage of the Surinamese maroon community of the N’dyuka,
also known as the Aucaners is Marcel Pinas’
source of inspiration as well as his motive.‘My art is about experiences from the past ; it deals with
the destruction of the N’dyuka culture in Surinam; in my work I
express that situation, paying attention to the protection of
cultures in general. I focus on the N’dyuka because I am a
descendant of the N’dyuka of Surinam. The symbols that play a role in my work are the
motifs that are used by the N’dyuka. Decorating tools and
implements is an ancient custom ; for example: doors, plates and
stools.
The decorative patterns not only make the objects more beautiful;
it is also a way of conveying a message - without words to a loved
one.
In olden times the decorating techniques were a means of
communication, used in particular to get a message to someone
close; the decorations also served to distinguish these objects
from others. Nowadays only the beautification aspect seems to be
important.

‘Visual artist’ Marcel Pinas does still use
symbols as a means of communication: he has a message for society
and he also sees himself as a safety valve for this society. His
art articulates more than merely an individual observation. Pinas:
‘Art’ is very important in any society. ‘Art’ is not only for the
rich, it is also for the man in the street. I want to reach the
common Surinamese people with my installations and introduce them
to modern art. ‘Art’ nurtures the community.

Pinas’ canvasses, which make up the principal part of his work,
underline his intention to preserve elements from the N’dyuka
culture also in the present day.

Colours which generally have their origin in
Surinam’s multi-coloured nature, are liberally applied to the
canvas. Significant symbols, parts of implements, pieces of
fabric : there is always something extra in the work of Marcel
Pinas. The wealth of the culture is reflected by the canvas and
leaves it’s mark on the objets d’art’.

Roots

On the 22nd of March 1971, Marcel Hendrik Pinas was born in
Pelgrimkondre, in the district of Marowijne in North-East Surinam.
I was at boarding school with the friars near Moengo and Moiwana,
two villages that played such an important role during the
Interior War. There is nothing left of the village he was born
in ; ‘Where I grew up,everything is gone. It is like a
dream : you see it, but you don’t actually see it. Everything
has disappeared due to the civil war’.
‘From my first year in elementary school on, I was at boarding
school in Abadukondre with the friars and sisters near Moengo. I
would go home one weekend a month. During my years at secondary
school in Paramaribo I became even more alienated from my
culture ‘Y’e du lek’ wan dyuka !‘ was not something you wanted to
hear.

Even as a child Marcel made lots of drawings. At
the age of sixteen, he started taking classes at the Nola
Hatterman Institute which is closely associated with
the Ministry of Education and Community Development. He also
studied at the Anton de Kom University (ADEK) and the teacher
training institute, both in Surinam.

In 1997, he was granted a scholarship by the Surinam goverment to
go to the Edna ManleyCollege
of Visual and Performing Arts in Jamaica. For two
years he took visual art classes there. He was elected top student
of the 1999 graduation class. Pinas also participated in various
workshops with foreign artists, both in Surinam and abroad.

In 2002 he was awarded ‘ the Business Finance Art Award ‘
in the Jaarbeurs in Utrecht, The Netherlands,
for being the most outstanding participating artist.

In Germany he won first prize for ‘Moved Wind Art’, a
special installation in which Pinas interlaced N’dyuka cultural
heritage and the German landscape in a singular manner.
From 1992 until now he has been associated with the Nola Hatterman
Institute as artistic staff member.
He regularly exhibits his work both in Surinam and abroad Guiana,
French Guiana, Brazil, Jamaica, Trinidad, the United States,
Switzerland and Germany are all countries where Pinas’s work has
been exhibited. There are plans also to focus even more on
national and international Land Art Events in the future.

Marcel’s desire to reach the broadest possible audience with his
work (and the message it carries), is easier to fulfil with this
type of project :
Marcel Pinas :’The moment the work is placed in a public space
the confrontation begins’.

Marcel Pinas was introduced to Beddington Fine Art by Vincent
Vlasblom, Hermann and Helena Krikhaar who showed his
work for the first time at the Fondation Hermann Krikhaar in
Salernes, Var, throughout July and August of this year.
He joined Beddington fine Art in September 2007.